Just Like Old Times
by Tessenchan
Summary: Donna finds the man of her dreams. Ten/Donna, post-series 4.


**JUST LIKE OLD TIMES** by Tessenchan (mihane_echo)

A/N: First posted on livejournal in October 2009.

Donna stared at the man standing on the corner of her street. He was mostly hidden behind the hedge, just his head and one long strip of shoulder to foot visible. A stranger to her, and watching her intently with a forlorn look in his eyes. He had appeared as she parked her car and not moved in the past few minutes.

Ordinarily it should have bothered her, some bloke on a corner watching her take her groceries out of the car and into the house. But more than anything she felt a sense of nostalgia, of longing. She missed him.

Donna grimaced as she strode back out of foyer onto the drive. _How can I miss someone I've never seen before in my life?_

She shut the car doors and, one last time, gazed back at him, his long form and thin face. Ruffled brown hair and sideburns, a smattering of freckles over his cheeks and nose. Suit and tie under a tan greatcoat. But the most striking feature was his dark eyes, indescribable in their emotion and depth. He held the weight of the world on his shoulders and she could tell just by looking at his eyes.

And completely randomly she had a passing idea, so vague a memory it couldn't have been called such, that she had seen him happy before. Actually happy.

And in her mind's eye he had the most brilliant smile.

Hesitantly Donna approached him; her heart told her he would run.

But he didn't. He looked like he wanted to, though. He looked terrified.

"Oi, with all the gawking you've been doing, I figured you for a creep looking to snatch me or something." She stopped at the end of the hedge, an arm's length from him. His eyebrows furrowed and she smirked at him. "But now I'm starting to think you fancy me, as scared as you look. I don't bite."

The tension in his face lessened. "Says you, Donna Noble."

Donna's chest tightened. She couldn't help what came out of her mouth next. "Do you know me from three years ago? When I lost my memory?"

"What do you think?"

She moved closer, enough to feel his slim body against hers. She reached out and cupped his cheek; the man shut his eyes and leaned into her touch, releasing a soft gasp. With her other hand she brushed her fingers over his knuckles and he opened his hand. Their fingers laced together automatically. Instinctively.

"I think I loved you." Her heart was a warm bubble in her throat, rising and growing larger even as she tried to speak around it. "I think that I wanted to be with you forever, and I think the thing that's been missing in my life all this time is you."

The man opened his eyes. His voice trembled as he spoke one word. "Yes."

The bubble melted and Donna felt tears well in her eyes. "I dreamed of you. I dreamt that you loved me back." She smiled mirthfully, unable to contain her emotion. "Did you?"

The man shook his head briefly, running his fingers lightly over her hair, down her cheek, his eyes roaming over her face and savouring each curve and line he found there. He cupped her chin with his thumb and forefinger and drew closer to her.

"Do I," he breathed.

And then he was kissing her, his lips cool over hers and the taste of him both unusual and wonderful at once, something like honey. For an instant the world fell away and Donna was floating. She curled her arms around his neck, holding him firm and trusting him completely when he lifted her up against him and deepened the kiss.

Her toes were just barely scraping the ground when she opened her eyes and leaned her forehead against his, still hovering somewhere in the stratosphere; she ran her tongue over her bottom lip, relishing the thin sheen of him left there as she counted the freckles on his face. Without opening his eyes he suddenly asked, "Come with me."

Donna blinked. "Where?"

"Anywhere."

His eyes slid open; wetness shone over his brown irises. "You and I used to travel and... I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should never have... I didn't realise then, when I had you, how much I..." His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Please come with me again."

She looked uncertainly at him. "All this time, missing bits of my memory, I've felt that I'm not whole." She shook her head. "I'm broken. I'm missing pieces."

He nodded. "I know. And even if you come with me, you probably will never remember," he warned her. "Is that all right?"

He gazed up at her, looking so small and vulnerable and hopeful and it occurred to Donna that he thought she might say no. She smiled warmly at him. "I'll just have to make new memories," she said with conviction.

His mouth broadened into a wide grin just as brilliant as she had dreamed it was, and he kissed her again quickly. Feet once again firmly on the ground, they began to walk. Donna held his hand between both of hers. "There's just... one thing."

"What?"

Donna bit back an embarrassed flush. "What's your name?"

His face fell just the tiniest bit and he sighed. "I'm the Doctor."

"The Doctor." Her blue eyes narrowed. "What sort of bloody name is that? I mean c'mon, mate. _The_ Doctor? Ego much?"

He stared at her, wide-eyed and Donna thought for a moment that she had offended him; but then he laughed once and shook his head. "You never change."

"I'm glad you're used to me picking on you because with a name like the Doctor, I don't think I'm bound to stop anytime soon. _Especially_ considering how skinny you are."

The couple turned down the next street and Donna spied a big blue box sitting at the end. Her heart skipped a beat and a burst of manic excitement swelled in her chest. She couldn't wait. "The Doctor and Donna Noble, huh?"

The Doctor squeezed her hand, grinning broadly. "Just like old times."

**end**


End file.
